Program Website: http://business.clemson.edu/Managemt/Management_PhD/index.html
Introduction
The PhD program in Management is designed to provide advanced education for students of outstanding ability desiring to pursue careers in academic research institutions. The program currently features two distinct, focused tracks:
1) Information systems (IS)
2) Supply Chain and Operations Management (SC&OM).
The course work for the program includes a rigorous research methodology set with challenging track-specific foundation, advanced methods and subject-related seminars. In addition, the program requires a comprehensive examination, and successful completion of the doctoral dissertation.
There is a strong commitment in the college to expand and increase the quality of the doctoral programs. A variety of learning experiences are incorporated into both tracks, including the development of conceptual frameworks and theories, qualitative case and empirical studies, among other rigorous approaches to research. Within the management department, PhD students have tremendous opportunities to conduct cross-disciplinary research between IS and SC&OM or with high-quality faculty in entrepreneurship, strategic management and human resources management. The goal is to position our graduates for scholarly academic careers at colleges and universities throughout the US and the world.
Programs of Study
The program is designed for full-time students who remain on campus during the entire duration of their study. Students can enter the program only in the fall semester (starting in mid-August). Students with Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in business can typically complete the program in four calendar years. Students with non-business degrees will need to complete background courses that may lengthen the duration of the program. Students entering the PhD program must have completed undergraduate or graduate course work in calculus.
Before applying for graduation, each student must either (a) have presented, or had accepted for presentation, a paper before a professional or scientific society or (b) have had an article published, or accepted for publication, in a refereed journal. In addition, each student must have classroom teaching experience.
Information Systems
The information age presents significant challenges for managers as they deal with evolving information technologies that are instrumental in enabling organizational competitiveness. The PhD IS track focuses on cutting edge IS research that focuses on the simple question of “how do we make organizations better through the deployment of information systems?” This question is examined at the individual, group, organizational and inter-organizational levels through a variety of theoretical perspectives using a rich repertoire of research methodologies. The IS track is supported by top faculty members and is led by Professor Varun Grover as the William S. Lee Distinguished Professor of Information Systems (endowed by Duke Energy).
Supply Chain and Operations Management
With globalization and technological progress, supply chain management and global operations have evolved into primary sources of competitive advantage for firms. The aim of the track is to develop academics who will be tomorrow’s SC&OM thought leaders and who will bridge their knowledge to improve practice and foster future research. The track is supported by top faculty members and is lead by Professor Aleda Roth, the Burlington Industries Distinguished Professor in Supply Chain Management.
Formal Coursework
Formal course work leading to the dissertation stage of the PhD program is divided up into the Scholarly Methods Courses, Foundation Courses, and Advanced Courses. Students are expected to complete all course work and pass the Comprehensive Examination within the first three academic years. In addition, the student is required to complete at least 18 credit hours of Doctoral Dissertation Research.
Scholarly Methods and Teaching Courses
The scholarly methods courses address several issues. First, the courses are designed to expose the student to the process of social science research and key methodological issues encountered in management research. Second, the courses are designed to provide in-depth understanding of gathering data through experiments, surveys, participant observation, as well as secondary data sources. Thirdly, the courses provide statistical methods for analyzing and interpreting the data statistically. The courses to be taken are approved by the student’s dissertation committee. Finally, each doctoral student is required to complete a course on College Teaching.
Foundation Courses
IS Track:The three foundation courses in the IS track provide basic material on IS and its deployment in business. The information systems course examines key IS and business issues, while the data resource management and systems analysis and design courses focus on development of organizational data and information systems.
SC&OM Track: The four foundation courses in the SC&OM track present the critical micro- and macro-level issues related to the management of operations. The planning and control systems and process design courses provide the necessary foundation, the supply chain management and operations strategy courses provide macro-level perspectives.
Advanced Courses
A minimum of six advanced courses are required, including seminars from the MGT offerings. A broad spectrum of course offerings are available depending on the student’s research interests. Each doctoral student works closely with an Advisory Committee to jointly develop a program of study designed to meet the student’s objectives and hte requirements of his/her area of interest. Each program of study is tailored to suit the individual needs and career goals of the student.
Dissertation Research
Prior to graduation, the student must complete at least 18 credit hours of MGT 991 Doctoral Dissertation Research, a pass/fail course.
Research Facilities
The Department of Management has a dedicated Manufacturing Management Laboratory that provides access to industrial manufacturing resource planning software. The mission of the laboratory is to promote operations management by attracting talented students to the field and uniquely preparing them for career challenges in the profession. This is accomplished through active learning involving modern principles of manufacturing management, leading-edge enterprise resource planning software, teamwork and leadership.
Cost of Study
Tuition for 2007–08 is $3,641 per semester for in-state students and $7,285 per semester for nonresidents. Off-campus rates are $330 per hour for in-state students and $660 per hour for nonresidents. Graduate assistants pay a flat fee of $950 per semester and $315 per summer session. Graduate fellows pay South Carolina resident fees.
Financial Aid
The Department offers financial assistance packages to most doctoral students in the form of graduate research or teaching assistantships. Research and teaching assistantships provide a generous stipend plus a significant reduction of tuition and fees. PhD students may be offered assistantships for four or five years (depending on their background) subject to an annual evaluation of satisfactory progress. In addition, applicants may qualify for numerous University-wide recruiting fellowships.
Interested students must complete a Clemson University Graduate School Financial Assistance Application and submit it directly to the Department of Management. Prospective graduate assistants should submit their assistantship application at the same time they complete and submit application materials for admission to the program.
Faculty
The Department of Management consists of an internationally recognized faculty with diverse research, teaching and consulting experiences. The Department has developed an outstanding reputation for its broad-based, interdisciplinary programs in management.
Management faculty members provide a variety of services to the business and professional communities. Faculty members serve as Senior Editors of the top journals in Information Systems and Operations Management. In addition, faculty members are active in consulting many of the largest companies in America. They are frequently asked to speak as distinguished speakers at universities, conferences, companies and are quoted reguarly in local and national newspapers and periodicals.
Applying
Applicants may apply on the web at www.grad.clemson.eduAdmissions.php. Applications with a $50 nonrefundable fee should be received no later than January 15. Every required item in support of the application must be on file by that date. Students interested in competing for University-wide recruiting fellowships (which are in addition to departmental graduate assistantships) must submit their complete packages
as early as December 1.
In addition to materials required by the Graduate School, the Department of Management requires a short (no more than two pages long) essay in English, giving the reasons for seeking the PhD degree from Clemson University. Applications may not be processed until the essay is received.
An interview is also required unless it is considered infeasible by the Department of Management’s graduate programs committee. A personal, on-campus interview is strongly recommended, but if it is not practical, a telephone interview is also acceptable. Your interview will be arranged by the graduate programs committee and will be conducted by faculty members active in your indicated area of interest.
The admission decision is based on all information in the applicant’s file, including the personal interview. In general, applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program are expected to have a master’s degree (with at least a 3.5 grade point average in their Masters Degree work) and score at or above the 75th percentile in each section of the GMAT (quantitative and verbal) or GRE (analytical, quantitative, and verbal).
However, recent admissions have been highly competitive with GMAT or GRE scores above the 85th percentile. The department tries to communicate admissions decisions to students by March 15.
For More Information
Dr. Russ Purvis
Director of Graduate Programs
Department of Management
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina 29634-1305
Telephone: 864-656-3770
Fax: 864-656-2015
Email: rlpurvi@clemson.edu
